核心问题
The newspapers report that at the moment he is paying his attentions to an Italian countess. [原译]报纸报导说，他现在正在注意着一位意大利女伯爵。（书）
这种译法准确吗？
词典解答
pay attention to 作“注意”“在乎”解，而 pay one's attentions to 则作“追求”“向……求婚”解。像这种由于名词的单复数形式不同而导致意义发生重大差别的例子，在英语里俯拾即是(have a word with 与 have words with, take note 与 take notes, in place 与 in places, at the foot of 与 at the feet of)。请分析下列实例：
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Now they ceased to pay attention to him. (Maugham) 此时他们不再注意他了。
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Pay no attention to what that drunkard says. 不要介意那个酒鬼说的话。